The disclosed technology relates to a retainer and a one-way clutch using the retainer as well as to a method for assembling the one-way clutch.
Conventionally, there has been a retainer shown in FIG. 6 for use in one-way clutches. This retainer has a first annular portion 81, a second annular portion 82 confronting the first annular portion 81, and six pillar portions 85 for connecting the first annular portion 81 and the second annular portion 82 to each other. Then, six pockets 87 are formed between the six pillar portions 85. It is noted that reference numeral 92 denotes a protruding portion to which an unshown coil spring is to be fitted.
Outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second annular portions 81, 82 are formed into an identical generally regular hexagonal shape. The pillar portions 85 are formed by axially extending six edges of the outer peripheral surface of the first annular portion 81 and six edges of the outer peripheral surface of the second annular portion 82. Outer ends of the pillar portions 85 serve as edges 90 of the regular polyhedron.
The outer peripheral surfaces having a generally regular hexagonal shape in its cross section of the two annular portions 81, 82 and the outer peripheral surfaces of the pillar portions 85, upon assembling of a one-way clutch, are to be engaged with an inner circumferential cam surface of an unshown outer ring of the one-way clutch having a generally regular hexagonal shape in its cross section. Also, the edges 90 axially extending overall between outer ends of the two annular portions 81, 82, upon assembling of the one-way clutch, are to be engaged with the vertices of the inner circumferential cam surface of the outer ring having a generally regular hexagonal shape in its cross section. The edges 90 serve as engagement portions for blocking the retainer from rotating peripherally relative to the outer ring.
The retainer shown in FIG. 6 is assembled to the one-way clutch as follows.
First, an unshown roller as a wedge member is placed at each pocket 87 of the retainer, and an unshown coil spring fitted to the protruding portion 92 is placed between pillar portion 85 and roller in the retainer. With the rollers biased to the pillar portions of the retainer by the coil springs, a retainer assembly is made up.
Next, while the vertices of the inner circumferential cam surface of the unshown outer ring of the one-way clutch, and the edges 90 of the retainer, are set in phase with each other, end faces of the rollers are brought into contact with inside end faces of an unshown inner ring and the outer ring between the inner circumferential cam surface of the outer ring and an outer circumferential cylindrical surface of the inner ring. Then, in this state, a roller present at a position which is in phase with a wedge position of a narrow radial distance between the outer and inner rings is moved peripherally to a position which is in phase with a clearance-fit position located between the inner circumferential cam surface of the outer ring and the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring by exclusive-use equipment.
Finally, with the roller located at a position which is in phase with the clearance-fit position, the retainer assembly is pushed axially to between the inner circumferential cam surface of the outer ring and the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring of the one-way clutch so that the roller is positioned between the inner circumferential cam surface of the outer ring and the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring. Thus, the assembling of the one-way clutch is completed.
Another retainer to be used for one-way clutches is shown in FIG. 3 of JP 2001-141037 A.
This retainer has an inner peripheral surface shaped into a regular octagon and an outer peripheral cylindrical surface, and is otherwise essentially similar to the retainer shown in FIG. 6.
However, with the use of the prior art retainer shown in FIG. 6, there is a problem that the assembling of the one-way clutch involves the need for exclusive-use equipment for moving the roller, which is present at a position in phase with an engagement position where the radial distance between outer and inner rings is narrower than the diameter of the roller, up to a position in phase with a clearance-fit position.
Also, because of a need for setting the outer ring, the inner ring and the retainer assembly to the exclusive-use equipment, there is another problem that man-hours required for the assembling of the one-way clutch is increased, which leads to an increase in the assembling cost of the one-way clutch.